Favourite Indian Summer?

[ElJefe]

So often in boxing when we see a formerly good or great fighter start to slide, the results can be devastating. The likes of Roy Jones never being able to recapture his former brilliance after his loss to Tarver and the Tyson circus that ended in defeats to McBride and Williams spring to mind.

Some fighters, however, are able to find success later in their careers after suffering setbacks that most predicted would be the end of them. Perhaps the most notable example is George Foreman's return to the ring after a decade long absence, the pinnacle of which was of course beating Michael Moorer in 1994 to regain the Heavyweight title after a failed attempt against Evander Holyfield in 1991 (and Tommy Morrison in '93).

What other examples can you think of of fighters who managed to battle on that bit longer than people thought and were still able to have success?

I mean, feel free to suggest whoever you want but I'm sort of hoping for those who picked up notable victories during their 'Indian Summer', rather than the likes of Margarito's 'comeback' which are pretty much irrelevant to everyone bar the Mexican himself.

[Counter-puncher]

A lot of people thought Chacon was done before he embarked on that run of FOTY's

[keithmoonhangover]

Larry Holmes beating Ray Mercer was great.
Hearns vs Virgil Hill was a good one also.

[paddy chavez]

Duran beating Barkley was great

[SenorPipino]

Hopkins, as a nearly 4-1 underdog, schooling Pavlik.

Did anyone have a longer Indian Summer than the Executioner?

[Ambling Alp II]

Archie Moore was winning major fights in his mid-40s. Not sure if that qualifies since Moore was never really considered done until right at the end of his career.

Jersey Joe Walcott was a journeyman fighter in his 20s. Then he became a top fighter in his 30s.

[East End]

Has to be big George knocking out Moorer

[Stuarty]

Not quite world level but I enjoyed Ryan Rhodes run of form in the latter part of his career. His fight with Moore was outstanding!

[East End]

Not quite world level but I enjoyed Ryan Rhodes run of form in the latter part of his career. His fight with Moore was outstanding!

If we are talking British fighters, and indeed Sheffield lads, Herol Graham rolling back the years against Chris Johnson and Vinny Pazienza, some five years after the loss to Frank Grant seemed to indicate the end of his career, has to be worth a mention. Herol got an unlikely third world title shot on the back of those two victories and, although unsuccessful, he gave Charles Brewer a pretty tough night as I recall.

[Caractacus]

My favorite Indian Summer was the Summer of 1969.
Beautiful weather in Knox County Ohio all the way up to late October.

[Counter-puncher]

Not quite world level but I enjoyed Ryan Rhodes run of form in the latter part of his career. His fight with Moore was outstanding!

If we are talking British fighters, and indeed Sheffield lads, Herol Graham rolling back the years against Chris Johnson

someone posted the Johnson fight on the brit forum a year or so ago, I'd never seen it, really a good example of Herol at his best.

You could almost physically see the confusion and frustration coming across from Johnson, who despite a decent ama career/etc, had never seen anything like Graham in his life, and nothing to that point prepared him for the experience.

[East End]

Not quite world level but I enjoyed Ryan Rhodes run of form in the latter part of his career. His fight with Moore was outstanding!

If we are talking British fighters, and indeed Sheffield lads, Herol Graham rolling back the years against Chris Johnson

someone posted the Johnson fight on the brit forum a year or so ago, I'd never seen it, really a good example of Herol at his best.

You could almost physically see the confusion and frustration coming across from Johnson, who despite a decent ama career/etc, had never seen anything like Graham in his life, and nothing to that point prepared him for the experience.

So sad to read about Herol's problems now. Such an incredible talent and a genuinely nice person who always had time for the young fighters at the Wincobank, including Naseem Hamed who idolised him.

[Bodyshot3]

I had mixed feelings about it at the time........but seeing an ageing, apparently very shopworn Holyfield with a declining record stick it right on Valuev and nearly win the title back was great.

People were crying out for Evander to call it a day but he somehow still found enough in the tank to show Valuev up and would dispense with Nielsen and Botha later on.

By that point not so much of an Indian Summer for Evander but perhaps an unseasonably mild December!

[East End]

Can't let this thread go without a mention for Dennis Andries. His age was subject to much debate throughout his career and I got the impression even he may have forgotten his exact date of birth, but he was at least 32 when he won the WBC light-heavy title the first time (decisioning JB Williamson in London) having been told countless times that he would never amount to anything more than a solid journeyman. Hardly anyone thought Dennis's time would come again after his 11 month title reign came to a brutal end against Tommy Hearns in Detroit, but with the great Manny Steward proving that some old dogs actually can be taught new tricks, Andries reclaimed the WBC belt at 175 with victory over Tony Willis at the official age of 35. Dennis dropped the belt in a fight of the year contender against Jeff Harding in June 1989, only to defy the odds again by knocking out Harding over a year later on the Aussie's home patch to become a three time champ at almost 37 (officially). Fourteen months on from that, having given up home field advantage again yet successfully defending against another Australian Guy Waters, the Andries-Harding trilogy culminated in a fight in London with Harding being awarded what many, myself included, thought was an extremely harsh decision against the home fighter.
If any movie moguls are thinking about a subject for a new boxing biopic, they could do a lot worse than consider the story of Dennis 'rock' Andries.

[Boxerbeetle]

He didn’t win, but I loved Morales’s performance against Maidana.

[Bodyshot3]

Can't let this thread go without a mention for Dennis Andries. His age was subject to much debate throughout his career and I got the impression even he may have forgotten his exact date of birth, but he was at least 32 when he won the WBC light-heavy title the first time (decisioning JB Williamson in London) having been told countless times that he would never amount to anything more than a solid journeyman. Hardly anyone thought Dennis's time would come again after his 11 month title reign came to a brutal end against Tommy Hearns in Detroit, but with the great Manny Steward proving that some old dogs actually can be taught new tricks, Andries reclaimed the WBC belt at 175 with victory over Tony Willis at the official age of 35. Dennis dropped the belt in a fight of the year contender against Jeff Harding in June 1989, only to defy the odds again by knocking out Harding over a year later on the Aussie's home patch to become a three time champ at almost 37 (officially). Fourteen months on from that, having given up home field advantage again yet successfully defending against another Australian Guy Waters, the Andries-Harding trilogy culminated in a fight in London with Harding being awarded what many, myself included, thought was an extremely harsh decision against the home fighter.
If any movie moguls are thinking about a subject for a new boxing biopic, they could do a lot worse than consider the story of Dennis 'rock' Andries.

Good to have another Andries fan in the house

The triology with Harding was something else - Dennis had some serious miles on the clock, had been put through the mill a fair few times and was almost certainly deep into his 30s - but he took on a very hard and much younger man and three classic battles ensued.

Harding - who was a big, strong LH with an attritional style - changed tactics for the decider in London because he wanted to find a different way to fight Dennis other than full-on trench warfare.

I loved Harding's back story as well; surf bum and roustabout who got the late call to fight Andries in America and put it all on the line and got himself a WBC belt when that belt was really worth something

[East End]

Can't let this thread go without a mention for Dennis Andries. His age was subject to much debate throughout his career and I got the impression even he may have forgotten his exact date of birth, but he was at least 32 when he won the WBC light-heavy title the first time (decisioning JB Williamson in London) having been told countless times that he would never amount to anything more than a solid journeyman. Hardly anyone thought Dennis's time would come again after his 11 month title reign came to a brutal end against Tommy Hearns in Detroit, but with the great Manny Steward proving that some old dogs actually can be taught new tricks, Andries reclaimed the WBC belt at 175 with victory over Tony Willis at the official age of 35. Dennis dropped the belt in a fight of the year contender against Jeff Harding in June 1989, only to defy the odds again by knocking out Harding over a year later on the Aussie's home patch to become a three time champ at almost 37 (officially). Fourteen months on from that, having given up home field advantage again yet successfully defending against another Australian Guy Waters, the Andries-Harding trilogy culminated in a fight in London with Harding being awarded what many, myself included, thought was an extremely harsh decision against the home fighter.
If any movie moguls are thinking about a subject for a new boxing biopic, they could do a lot worse than consider the story of Dennis 'rock' Andries.

Good to have another Andries fan in the house

The triology with Harding was something else - Dennis had some serious miles on the clock, had been put through the mill a fair few times and was almost certainly deep into his 30s - but he took on a very hard and much younger man and three classic battles ensued.

Harding - who was a big, strong LH with an attritional style - changed tactics for the decider in London because he wanted to find a different way to fight Dennis other than full-on trench warfare.

I loved Harding's back story as well; surf bum and roustabout who got the late call to fight Andries in America and put it all on the line and got himself a WBC belt when that belt was really worth something

That's right, Harding was a late alternate for the first fight. I'd forgotten Dennis was supposed to face Donny Lalonde in what would have been a career best payday by a huge margin, only for the Canadian golden boy to suddenly announce he was quitting the game (a retirement that was very short-lived), probably to protect his movie star looks from a serious pounding. Of course it's also worth remembering that Andries earned his second world title shot against Willis by beating Bobby Czyz in Atlantic City. That was supposed to be a stepping stone fight for Czyz - who was to American fans what Bruno was to English ones - en route back to a world title after he had unexpectedly dropped the IBF strap to Charles Williams (who was actually a very good champion and beat Czyz again the night after Andries-Harding I as I recall).
The 175Ib division was really hotting up around that time, with Virgil Hill and Michael Moorer also arriving on the scene.

[Ambling Alp II]

Bobby Czyz had a big fan base?

[bwu]

Daniel Zaragoza.

[Counter-puncher]

Daniel Zaragoza.